Wireless client media access control (mac) address collision avoidance

Abstract

A first access point of a wireless network minimizes Media Access Control (MAC) address collisions in the wireless network. The first access point receives an association request from a first wireless device. The association request identifies a first MAC address of the first wireless device. The first access point determines whether a second wireless device is associated with the wireless network using the first MAC address. Responsive to a determination that the second wireless device is associated with a second access point of the wireless network, the first access point obtains a virtual MAC address for the first wireless device. The first access point translates between the first MAC address and the virtual MAC address for network traffic of the first wireless device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 determining whether a first wireless device and a second wireless device will both use a first Media Access Control (MAC) address in a wireless network;   responsive to a determination that the first wireless device and the second wireless device will both use the first MAC address in the wireless network, obtaining a virtual MAC address for the first wireless device; and   translating between the first MAC address and the virtual MAC address for network traffic of the first wireless device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining comprises querying a network controller that is configured to manage a plurality of access points. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein obtaining the virtual MAC address comprises receiving an indication of the virtual MAC address in response to querying the network controller. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein translating comprises:
 sending uplink data from the first wireless device to a network infrastructure of the wireless network using the virtual MAC address; and   sending downlink data from the network infrastructure to the first wireless device using the first MAC address.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving from the first wireless device an association request identifying the first MAC address used by the first wireless device.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing a translation entry associating the first wireless device with the first MAC address and the virtual MAC address. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus comprising:
 a wireless network interface configured to communicate with one or more wireless devices;   a network infrastructure interface configured to communicate with a network infrastructure of a wireless network; and   a processor coupled to the wireless network interface and the network infrastructure interface, the processor configured to:
 determine whether a first wireless device and a second wireless device will both use a first Media Access Control (MAC) address in the wireless network; 
 responsive to a determination that the first wireless device and the second wireless device will both use the first MAC address in the wireless network, obtain a virtual MAC address for the first wireless device; and 
 translate between the first MAC address and the virtual MAC address for network traffic of the first wireless device. 
   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to determine by querying a network controller configured to manage a plurality of access points including the apparatus. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to obtain the virtual MAC address by receiving an indication of the virtual MAC address via the network infrastructure interface in response to querying the network controller. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to translate by:
 causing the network infrastructure interface to send uplink data from the first wireless device to the network infrastructure using the virtual MAC address; and   causing the wireless network interface to send downlink data from the network infrastructure to the first wireless device using the first MAC address.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to cause the wireless network interface to receive from the first wireless device an association request identifying the first MAC address used by the first wireless device. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a memory, wherein the processor is configured to store a translation entry in the memory, the translation entry associating the first wireless device with the first MAC address and the virtual MAC address. 
     
     
         13 . A system comprising:
 a network controller configured to manage a wireless network, the wireless network comprising a network infrastructure and a plurality of access points; and   a first access point among the plurality of access points, the first access point configured to:
 determine whether a first wireless device and a second wireless device will both use a first Media Access Control (MAC) address in the wireless network; 
 responsive to a determination that the first wireless device and the second wireless device will both use the first MAC address in the wireless network, obtain a virtual MAC address for the first wireless device; and 
 translate between the first MAC address and the virtual MAC address for network traffic of the first wireless device. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first access point is configured to determine whether the first wireless device and the second wireless device will both use the first MAC address by querying the network controller. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first access point is configured to obtain the virtual MAC address by receiving an indication of the virtual MAC address in response to querying the network controller. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first access point is configured to translate by:
 sending uplink data from the first wireless device to the network infrastructure using the virtual MAC address; and   sending downlink data from the network infrastructure to the first wireless device using the first MAC address.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first access point is further configured to receive from the first wireless device an association request identifying the first MAC address used by the first wireless device. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the first access point is further configured to store a translation entry associating the first wireless device with the first MAC address and the virtual MAC address. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the network controller is configured to transfer the translation entry to a second access point in response to the first wireless device associating with the second access point. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the network controller is further configured to store the translation entry.